IVF tourism is becoming increasingly popular with couples who have been priced out of the UK’s expensive private IVF market. Despite much cheaper options available overseas, it is important to weigh up the potential risks associated with having treatment abroad.
In the UK, IVF clinics are under the regulation of the HFEA (Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority) who are the government’s independent regulator and deal with licensing, monitoring and inspecting of all fertility clinics in the UK.
Foreign clinics have different regulations and guidelines which means that the standard of care abroad may not always be as high as in the UK, potentially increasing the risk of complications when undergoing fertility treatment.
One example of regulation differences between the UK and abroad is the law around multiple embryo transfers. Women undergoing treatment abroad are more likely to have multiple embryos transferred back into the womb, increasing the chances of twins and triplets and thus increasing the risk of complications. In the UK, the HFEA have a strict limit on the number of embryos transferred in IVF treatment.
Other regulation differences:
- Some countries ban unmarried women from undergoing IVF procedures
- Some countries do not allow sperm donation from men outside of the couple
- Some countries have banned various forms of treatment
- Some countries do not allow embryos to be frozen
If the cost barrier was removed in the UK, many couples would choose not to take the unnecessary risks associated with ‘IVF tourism’.
So abc ivf have done just that. We can offer you IVF treatment at a low cost across the UK and you’ll never have to worry about the quality of care.
